From great heights
by UnluckyAmulet
Summary: Katarina Bracken, just another street-girl. She is quickly sucked into Fagin's Gang, and finds a place she actually belongs. But their world is dangerous, as Kat dicovers the hard way. How will she come out of it all?
1. In which Katarina is introduced

Disclaimer: I don't own Oliver Twist (the novel) _Oliver!_ (the film) or any other things Oliver-related. I do, however, own this story and Katarina Bracken.

I just couldn't resist doing an Oliver story, particularly since I've just recently developed a slight obsession for it (after watching I'd Do Anything and re-watching the 1960's film, which I totally ADORE). This story would NOT leave me alone, so I just had to write the first chapter. It's going to be pretty much film-based, in terms of plot and character, but I hope you like it anyway!

Enjoy!

* * *

The streets of London town were busy. It was a mild spring day, just creeping out of winter, and the sky was stained a pale, calm blue. People were milling about, a busy day, with arguments over the price of fish and so on at the market stalls. Children dashed around the cobbled streets, laughing, the shouts and sounds of the city people all mingling together. Thin, wispy clouds drifting idly across the sky as though they had not a care in the world.

Which they didn't, since they were clouds.

Katarina Bracken or simply just 'Kat' stared up at the sky for a moment, before returning her attention to the noisy, crowded streets before her. People paid her little attention, hardly glancing her way as their hurried about their mid-day business, which suited her just fine. The girl was perched on a stone wall, her hands planted on either side of her as she watched the people to-ing and fro-ing in front of her.  
While this was only Katarina's third or so day on her own in London, she was by no means unaccustomed to the hustle and bustle of the city.  
She was, however, quite uneasy. And that was primarily for one very simple reason.

She was hungry.

There was also a second reason for the female's uneasiness, and it posed as a problem for the first reason.

She hadn't a shilling to her name.

Katarina was also by no means unaccustomed to taking things without paying for them, and she had no qualms about doing so- After all, plenty more where that came from. She doubted very much whether somebody would miss a current bun or a piece of fruit.

But she knew that she had to be careful. London had a reputation for pickpockets, and she did not want to get arrested shortly after arriving here. Especially since she knew there was nobody here to help her out of trouble- She was quite alone. Alone and with no earthly possessions (of particular value anyway).

But with the persistent gnawing sensation in her stomach and the self-assurance that she wasn't a novice, Kat made up her mind. Slipping off the wall, she pretended to amble down the street, with the air of one who knows where he or she is going and is in no particular hurry to do so. Almost as soon as she had adopted this, an opportunity promptly presented itself to the young girl.  
Namely, a baker who was carrying a large tray of buns up the stairs.  
Kat, glancing over her shoulder, leant forwards and snatched one, just as the baker rounded the corner. He hadn't noticed a thing, likely too preoccupied not to drop any buns to notice.

Kat smiled to herself for the first time that day before sinking her teeth into the bun, taking a sizeable chunk out of it before swallowing and licking her lips, the taste of victory almost as satisfying as the small cake. She directed her gaze upwards.

That's when she saw him.

A boy, who looked about the same age as Kat herself, was perched on a flight of steps a little way above Kat. A top hat sat upon a young, mischievous-looking face, with a snub nose, black hair and dark eyes.

He was dressed quite unusually- the strangest accessory of all being a large black top hat. He was staring at Kat, and did not look away when she caught him looking.  
This peculiar match of looking continued for a few seconds, until Kat eventually decided that his staring was getting wearisome. She had a sneaking suspicion that his sudden interest had something to do with her stolen bun. Her eyes flicked away from his for a moment then back again.

Kat shot him a look that was both wary and judging and opted to slink off.

* * *

_  
_

_But then again._ Kat thought to herself as she stuffed the remainder of the bun into her mouth, licking the heels of her hands, _I s'pose I haven't got the grounds to say 'e's dressed funny._

Smoothing down her own jacket, a little self-consciously, Kat hurried on down the now-empty side streets, feeling slightly nervous. That boy had certainly been paying her too much attention- could he have been getting ready to tell on her?

For all of the remainder of that day, Katarina was uneasy. She had a feeling that she had got off lightly with her pastry thieving, and now she had an unshakeable notion that she was being watched. This idea caused Kat to decide to leave town quickly- for now, she could be content with the current bun. Pulling the soft rim of her cap further down over her eyes, Kat glanced around, recognising the thin, grey streets now.

But just as Kat was leaving the heart of the bustle and was slipping off into another part of town, she suddenly heard a voice above her.

"Oi."

Stopping, Kat looked around. Then she saw, to her immense surprise, the boy from before sitting up on a ledge. With a smile that matched his face, he promptly jumped down from the ledge he was perched on to land in front of Kat, blue coat tails flapping slightly behind him.

"Did you follow me 'ere?" Kat asked him, unsure of whether to be indignant or impressed. The boy grinned at her, which she took to be a 'yes'. Kat stared at him, then allowed a smile to break out onto her face.  
"What's your name?" she asked him. The boy promptly swept off his hat as he said,  
"Jack Dawkins is the name! Otherwise known by my more intimate associates as The Artful Dodger. Do I 'ave the pleasure of learnin' your name?"

"Katarina Bracken. Everyone calls me Kat." Kat replied, finding herself longing for another current bun. Katarina knew she oughtn't let her guard down so easily, she shouldn't be so trusting, but she was a young girl and she was alone. And this was a young boy, and he was alone too. And that was enough to let her whimsical, child-like curiosity to take hold.

Dodger grinned, seeing Kat's more open expression.

"I 'aven't seen you 'round these parts." he commentated, leaning back a little to get a good look at Kat. "Just come 'ere, 'ave you?"

"Yeah." admitted Kat, surprising herself, as she had not planned on telling anybody she was a newcomer. However, this boy seemed to be in the same boat, and therefore she felt a somewhat automatic kinship towards this particular boy. "I've only been 'ere half a week. I've been sleepin' in the park."

"Dodgy area, that." remarked Dodger, which made Kat's lip twitch. "Why're you stayin' there?"

"Don't 'ave anywhere else to go." replied Kat, shrugging. She knew perfectly well she could not sleep in a tree for the rest of her life, but she was at a loss as to what else to do with her current situation. Dodger eyed Kat thoughtfully for a moment as Kat looked at her hands for any leftover crumbs.

"Tell you what." Dodger then said, apparently making a decision, "I 'appen to know a place where you can stay. It's owned by a...respectable old gentleman by the name of Fagin. I 'appen to be a favourite of Fagin's."

Kat thought that it sounded much better then sleeping in a tree, and so she smiled at the prospect of sleeping in an actual bed and turned to Dodger.  
"Show me the way!"

* * *

"Are we nearly there?" Kat called after Dodger, a few paces in front of her.  
"Nearly!" he called back, rounding the corner.

As Kat followed, she sat in front of her what appeared to be a complicated structure, a mere shell of an abandoned old building. Dodger hurried up a set of wooden steps, heading into what looked like a collapsed archway. Kat stood behind him as he called upwards, apparently addressing the air;  
"It's Dodger! Open up!"

Kat stared at him, but Dodger merely motioned for Kat to follow him up several more wooden steps.

Dodger reached a faded door, and pushed it open. The smell of dust, cigarette smoke and the night air greeted the pair of them. Dodger went in first, Kat following, her automatic reaction was simple curiosity. Inside, Kat peered around in unrestrained fascination. They appeared to be in some kind of old loft or attic. A horde of skinny, underfed children, mainly comprised of boys, regarded Kat with a combination of fascination, confusion and slight suspicion, but seemed to relax as Dodger greeted them, to which they responded cheerfully.

"I'm back, boys!" cried the Artful Dodger, as the other children milled around him.  
"'Ey, Dodge! We were wonderin' were you got to!"  
"Out thieving' again, 'ey Dodge?"

"Who's this?"  
The attention went to Kat, who fidgeted under the abrupt scrutiny.  
"Who's the new kid?"

Dodger pulled Kat forward by the wrist, into the centre of the room, holding her arm up as though she had just won a boxing match, a smile sliding across Dodger's face. He let go and sat down at a long table, grabbing a roasted potato from a nearby plate. He introduced Kat, his mouth bulging slightly with the aforementioned vegetable.

"This is Kat. I found 'er in the streets. Thieving a current bun, no less!"

This was greeted by a small eruption of amusement, to which Kat protested, feeling suddenly awkward, tired and relatively out-of-place in a room that seemed to be filled with boys.

"I was 'ungry!" defended Kat, feeling slowly more and more like she was being cross-examined. Dodger, however, slapped his knee and roared with laughter, and a couple of the other boys chuckled appreciatively.

"Listen to 'er!" cried Dodger, jabbing a finger at a thoroughly confused Kat. "'I was 'ungry!' Well, we're _all_ 'ungry 'ere! You'll fit right in!"  
"When can I meet Fagin?" Kat demanded, licking her fingers and narrowing her eyes at Dodger, as she still felt she was being mocked. Dodger eventually controlled his chortling to answer the girl's question.

"All in good time, all in good time." Dodger replied, infuriatingly.  
A couple of the boys had already lost interest in the new arrival, and had promptly started up a game of cards. Kat rolled her eyes to the ceiling, thinking that if there was some sort of initiation process, she wished that it would bleedin' well hurry up.  
But then, as if on queue, an obscured figure came scuffling out from a large cloud of steam, although Kat could distinctly make out a large hat.

_This_, thought Kat, standing up as the figure of a man came into view, _must be Mr. Fagin._

"And who do we have here, Dodger?" Fagin asked, sounding somewhat amused, looking at Dodger, then returning his gaze to Kat. Dodger promptly stood up, clapping Kat genially on the shoulder,  
"This, Fagin, is Katarina Bracken. She only came 'ere a coupla days ago."  
"It's just Kat." Kat amended, embarrassed by Dodger's formal introduction. Dodger, however, seemed quite oblivious to Kat's discomfort. Fagin squinted, then beckoned Kat for her to come closer, saying as he did so,  
"A little closer, my dear, a little closer, so I can see you prop'ly."

Nonplussed, Kat did as she was told.

And Fagin knew- Perhaps thievery's instinct, or perhaps it was after so many years of rearing miniature pick-pockets for so long- But Fagin knew, as soon as Kat stepped forward and looked at him, that this girl would make a good one.

It wasn't that she was pretty- because that wasn't the word that fit her best. But there was a certain look to her face, with her white skin, deep green eyes and quizzical expression, which reminded him, strangely, of Dodger. The beguiling, slightly impish cheek that her face seemed to naturally possess...it portrayed a clearly misleading image of innocence.

Fagin's eventually moved off Kat's face, taking in the rest of her. She was typically thin, wan, and under-fed. Very pale.

Dark, chocolate-coloured hair travelled to just slightly above the girl's torso. Her clothes would have been more suited on a labour boy- Kat wore black-grey trousers (which she had to keep hitching up in order to prevent them slipping off her bony hip- They were at least two sizes too big, held up by a fraying piece of rope.) On her upper-body she wore a jacket the same colour as the trousers, plus a faded red shirt that was ripped slightly at the shoulder. A black cap sat on her head, and on her feet were rather large, scuffed boots.

Yes. All in all, Fagin could see quite clearly why Dodger had picked this oddly dressed one. He smiled.

Another gem to polish, it would seem.

"Well, now, Katarina Bracken. A new friend of Dodger's is always welcome." Fagin said genially, and the girl smiled at this warm greeting. "I expect you're exhausted, 'avin' only been in the City a few days! Am I correct?"

"Yes, that's right." Kat agreed placidly, the word 'exhausted' seeming to prompt her eyelids into drooping. She forced herself to keep them open. "I've bin sleepin' in the park."

"The park!" cried Fagin, shaking his head, "Not a nice place for a young 'un to be, my dear, not at all. No, you won't be going' back there."

Fagin addressed the group as a whole, Kat watching in a bemused sort of way,  
"Get to bed, all of you! Busy day ahead!"

With general noises of complaint, the boys stopped whatever they were doing and began making the way to their individual beds, some shoving another boy over for more space, others complaining their blanket had been stolen. Seeing that she was nearly out of it as it was, Fagin steered Kat toward a small makeshift bed, relatively nearby Dodger's.

"You sleep 'ere, my dear. Right 'ere."

"Thank you, Mr. Fagin." Kat intoned, accepting the blanket that Fagin handed her. Propping herself up on her elbows, Kat removed her hat (hanging it on a nearby nail) and pulled off her boots. Settling back down, Kat closed her eyes, distantly hearing Fagin say,

"Well then. Sweet dreams, Katarina."

"Sweet-" Katarina began, but sleep came to her to quickly she barely had time to finish the word, let alone the sentence. Fagin smiled to himself slightly at this, before turning and leaving her to it, as Kat's sleepy mind drifted into a dream.

* * *

  
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	2. In which arrangements are made

_Opening her eyes very slowly, Kat thought for a moment that she was still stuck in a dream.  
Sunlight shone its way through the holes of the moth-eaten, greying curtain that hung slightly over the bed she lay in. Kat rubbed at her eyes, her mind in a slow, sleep-induced daze. She could hear the sounds of breathing, for it was certainly not just her there.  
Peeking around the curtain, a view of the loft greeted Kat. Everybody was still asleep- so it was still very early in the morning. Dust particles hovered in the air, illuminated by the early spring sunlight.  
Kat frowned slightly, willing her memories to come back to her, and she shook her head slowly, as if she were trying to dislodge water from her ears. She had been in London...And then what?  
Then Dodger flashed into her mind, then the bun. Kat's tongue automatically darted out of her mouth, licking her lower lip as she recalled the taste of the warm bun.  
Gradually, Kat's eyes adjusted to the cheerful spring sunlight that was filtering through the roof of the loft. Kat's mouth was dry, and her stomach was already pining for food. Then she remembered following Dodger through several dark streets, dashing up rickety wooden steps. Eventually, Kat had pieced together the events of yesterday, and a sudden jolt of relief went through her. She lay back down, smiling vaguely at the roof of the bed, and waited for morning officially to arrive. _

"Hurry up and finish your breakfast!" Fagin was saying impatiently to a few of the boys, who were still squabbling over the last few roast potatoes, "There's work to be done, an' it won't get done with you slacking off!"  
"Work?" Kat asked, licking her fingers to get any last taste of bacon.  
"Ah, yes, I'd forgotten that." said Fagin, genially, though Kat had a sneaking suspicion he had forgotten nothing of the sort, "Well, my dear, you see all these pocket-'andkercheifs up there?"

Kat's eyes followed Fagin's finger to where a load of handkerchiefs was indeed hanging from the rafters. All of different colours, most of them surprisingly clean as well.  
"I see 'em." agreed Kat.

"Well, these 'andkercheifs are in fact a speciality for the boys, my dear. An' Dodger tells me you're an accomplished girl yourself."

"I suppose so." Kat replied, wondering vaguely if stealing books counted as being 'accomplished.' Kat wrinkled her nose slightly. She would have corrected Fagin by telling him that she had simply come to London to get away from where she used to work, but the way Fagin worded it, it made it sound as if Katarina knew what she was doing, so she agreed, slightly reluctantly.

"Now, 'ow would you like to make your livin' like the boys do? That is, goin' out an' gettin' your own pickings. You may even be able to go up from there, my dear. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"It sounds easy." Kat replied, with a cross between a smile and a smirk on her face.

"Of course it is!" Fagin agreed, jubilantly. "Now, before you go, I think a little practise run is in order…"

A few minutes later, Kat was perched on a bench in the loft, a bright red handkerchief dangling between her thumb and index finger, a hint of a triumphant smile on her face, her hat and boots both firmly in place.

"Well, my word!" cried Fagin, and then he repeated the same thing he said to every new pickpocket that happened to stumble into his den, "You are a clever girl, my dear! I never saw a sharper lass!"

Katarina smiled again, her eyes shining at the praise as she handed the handkerchief back to Fagin.

"And how old are you, anyway, my dear?"

"I'll be nine in a few month." Replied Kat, hopping down from the bench. Dodger groaned slightly, realising this meant he would probably end up showing her the ropes, being only a month or so older then Kat, and sure enough,

"You let Dodger an' the others show you the ropes, my dear, and you'll have no trouble at all! Especially Dodger. He's gonna turn out to be a right little…Bill Sikes."

"Who?" Kat asked, vaguely, picking at a loose thread at the bottom of her red shirt. Dodger glanced at Fagin.  
"He's...a very clever gentleman, my dear." Fagin eventually replied, carefully. "A very clever man indeed. You'll meet 'im sooner or later, I imagine. Now-" Fagin's tone suddenly turned business-like. "It's off to work with the lot of you!"

* * *

Fagin was wrong about one thing. Kat did not meet Bill Sikes or indeed meet him personally for several weeks or so.

She did, however, happen to catch a part of conversation that Fagin assumed was going unheard.

With a belly full (or, at least, half-full) with supper, Kat had been lying in her bed, eyes shut, willing herself to drift off properly to sleep. The boys and herself had been ordered to bed some time ago, but Kat simply could not feel herself drop off, and she could tell due to the rustling and mutters in the dark, she was not the only one who couldn't sleep.  
Then footsteps sounded, muffled by the dust on the floor, and Fagin's hoarse whisper skated through the air,

"…Twenty…thirty…forty…there! Take it."  
A distant but distinct sound of coins clinked together.

"You'd better not 'ave sold me short, Fagin." Replied a second voice, which pitched at a low growl. Kat's eyes flickered open, and she slowly, silently, turned onto her side and peeked through a tiny gap in the moth-eaten curtain which hung partially over her bed.

"No, Bill." Fagin's voice replied, slick as oil. "I wouldn't, Bill. You know that."

Kat squinted in the dark, with only the moonlight, and could make out two figures standing by the door. One was obviously Fagin- there was no mistaking the wide-brimmed hat, or the long coat.  
The second was tall; that much Kat could definitely make out, even if a top hat did wasn't sat upon the owner's head. The second figure held a short stick-like thing (Kat couldn't make it out too well) and he also seemed to be wearing a long coat.

It was, without a doubt, the silhouette of Bill Sikes.

"Hmph." Was all he said to Fagin's smooth statement, but the cynicism in that grunt rang quite clear. Kat licked her lip nervously, then scuffled backwards a little, her blanket riding down to her midriff as she moved, and she hissed out of the corner of her mouth,

"Dodge. Dodger!"

"What?" Dodger hissed back, nearby. Kat looked over at Dodger, keeping her head down slightly.  
"Dodger, who is that man?" Kat murmured, though the two men who stood by the door were paying no attention.  
"That's Bill Sikes." Muttered Dodger back, confirming it. "He's one of Fagin's employers…and he's one of the best thieves in all of London. 'E can get in any house, easy. That's what 'e does for Fagin."

"He's scary." Kat whispered, without thinking, and then found herself wondering if Dodger was going to tease her but, surprisingly, he didn't.  
"Yeah, everyone's a bit scared of 'im. Even Fagin is, a bit."

Kat nodded, then realised that Dodger probably couldn't see it. Then the footsteps started up again and the two quickly lay back down, ears straining.

"Nancy'll be waitin' for you." Fagin was saying as the door creaked open, and Bill's heavy footsteps thudded out onto the walkway. "Get you a nice supper, eh?"

Bill must have nodded, because the door closed again, almost silently, and Kat could understand how Bill Sikes got in and out of places undetected if he could near-silently shut that rickety old door.  
Kat listened as Fagin scuffled away, and it occurred to her that she had not heard either Bill or Fagin enter the room. Then, as Fagin's footsteps and mutterings stopped, Kat felt her eyelids droop, and she lay back down, lost in the silence, until she drifted off into a restless, uneasy sleep.

* * *

I know this chapter's a bit shorter then the last, but it's really more of a 'settling in' chapter. I'd also like to say thanks for the reviews for my previous chapter! Yay!


	3. In which Nancy gains a fan

Hello readers! (The six of you, anyway.) Sorry I'm a little bit late with this chapter. It actually gave me quite a bit of trouble, but I finally got something in the end. Thank god for persistant inspiration.

Enjoy!

* * *

_Jasper Carren stalked down the wet, dark streets. His dark mood seemed to smoulder around him in an angry aura, and people seemed to sense it as he drew closer, and people quickly got out of his path, scurrying away like rats. Jasper said nothing, but he merely glowered as he headed towards the dark, noisy pub, dusty blonde hair falling over his eyes._

_Nobody paid him special attention upon entry, which suited him just fine. Finding a dark, unoccupied corner, he sat down, not removing his jacket or moth-eaten scarf. A barmaid promptly came to him, all forced smiles._

_"What'll be tonight?" she asked Jasper in a light, calm voice. Jasper have her a look that could have frightened rock.  
"Jus' get it, Susanna." he snapped._

_With a sad smile, Susanna left and got Jasper his nightly fix. When she returned, he was leaning back against the greyish-white wall of the corner, apparently lost in thought._

_Slipping the ale in front of him, Susanne watched Jasper for a moment, wearing a look of surprise. But she knew better then to probe him, particularly when he was in this mood._

_Once Susanne had trotted away, Jasper's jade-coloured eyes snapped away from the ceiling. His hand, which had reached for the ale, slid off the table, into his pocket. A newspaper sat on the table, a slight stain on the front cover. Flipping it open, Jasper scanned it, his eyes falling on several stories, such as, "Young girl found dead in theatre", "Trouble in Court?", "Abbey Wedding for the Princess." and so on._

_As if automatically, Jasper's hand slid off the table, absently reaching into his pocket, feeling the crackle of paper. But his eyes were somehow sad._

_"Hmph." he muttered, before downing the ale in one._

--

Weeks flowed passed, and discoveries were made.

The first discovery was made at breakfast a few days after Kat arrived.

"Tchah!" Kat coughed, as she spat out the clear liquid that she had just tried to drink. "What was THAT?!"

"S'gin, Kat." Charlie replied looking mildly surprised at Kat's utterly disgusted expression, staring in somewhat disappointed fashion at the drops of the beverage shining on the surface of the table. Kat pushed her cup away from her, staring at it as though it had done something to personally offend her.

"'S 'orrible." she declared, scrunching up her nose at it, "Dunno how you can drink that every mornin'."

"Don't you want it, then?" Charlie asked, hopefully. Kat shook her head vehemently and Charlie snatched it up and took a big gulp.

"You get used to it Kat, honest." Dodger explained to her, "'S just a bit strong if you're not-"

But it was clear that Kat was not about to give the gin a second try, so she merely slumped back in her chair and stuffed a small bread roll into her mouth, her eyes occasionally shooting the gin an annoyed look as Charlie happily finished it off.

"You'll get used to it." Dodger sighed as they left to go out for the day's pickings, the streets their usual busy selves as people hurried to and fro, Charlie, Dodger and Kat all lingering on a cobbled streets, eyes kept peeled for any opportunities. The sky was a murky greyish colour, the clouds occasionally breaking up to reveal patches of azure sky. Kat looked unconvinced, her eyes half-lidded under her fringe.

"Promise." Dodger added.

"Yeah, alri'ght." Kat agreed, scrunching her nose again. "S'pose I've got a lot to get used to still, ain't I?"

Dodger laughed, and Kat smiled back before stretching out a skinny arm and dipping into some unsuspecting man's pocket.

* * *

Another discovery was made during the arrival of Nancy. Kat adored Nancy. She never said it, but it showed enough simply through how Kat would smile her slightly impish smile Nancy showed up, how Kat would drop whatever she was doing in order to speak to Nancy.  
At first, Kat had been a little withdrawn, even shy, from the older women, but Nancy had warmed considerably to Kat, and that was enough to make Kat a little bolder and a little more like her natural self.  
The two of them were strangely alike, but looked total opposites, with Nancy's wavy, strawberry-blonde locks compared to Kat's deep brown tresses. Nancy would often visit Fagin's, usually on orders from Bill Sikes to collect money from a reluctant Fagin, often with Bet in tow.

"Any'ne in?" Nancy would call cheerily as she entered Fagin's, which would usually be accompanied by a cheer and a horde of skinny young boys flocking to Nancy, yelling out greetings and demanding if she had brought anything, which she had.

Once she had fended them off, Nancy went swishing to the back of the room, where Fagin was already shooting her suspicious looks, no doubt well aware as to why she had come round.

"Alright up there?" Nancy added to Kat, who had not joined the now-feasting boys at the doorway, probably as her currently seating position would be difficult to leave in a hurry.

"'Ello, Nance!" Kat replied, smiling enthusiastically before carefully shimmying down the criss-cross of planks she had been sitting on. Nancy smiled as well Kat reminded her of herself at that age. Well, her and Bet at any rate.

"How've you been doing, Kat?" Nancy said to the girl now, as Kat stared up at her. "You've been 'ere for a couple of weeks now, eh? Must be strange for you, bein' with all these boys."

Kat shrugged.

"I don't mind." She answered, "They're kind of stupid and loud, but I like it 'ere. Really, I do."

"We need to get you another friend." Nancy thought out loud, contemplating. "A gal, mind. Like me and Bet. I think I know somebody just your age."

Kat didn't seem either happy or unhappy at this news, merely curious. Just then, they both heard a wheezing laugh.

"Ah, Nancy."

Fagin had come shuffling out from the back, wearing a somewhat pained smile. "To what do we 'ave the pleasure of your company today?"

"Bill sent me, Fagin." replied Nancy with a wry smile as Fagin visibly stiffened. He sighed, shaking his balding head.

"Ruthless, your Bill is." he grumbled as he gestured for Nancy to follow him into the back, "I've barely 'ad time to price 'em before 'e sends you collecting!"

"Heartless, that's 'im." Nancy answered, a very slight note of soft affection in her voice as she headed to the back, her scarlet skirt swishing as she walked, boots clacking on the dusty old floorboards.  
She would have set her large wicker basket down, but she knew better then that. It would be completely empty in a matter of seconds.

"She's so keen on 'im." Charlie commented to Dodger, turning with a slight smirk on his face. "Hard luck, Dodger."

"You can shut it." snapped Dodger, scowling and straightening his hat in a superior sort of way. "I can dream, can't I?"

"She's too good for you, Dodge." teased Kat, making Charlie laugh. Dodger stuck his tongue out at the pair of them, which only made them titter even more. Just then, Nancy came waltzing back out of the back room, Fagin leaning against the walls.

"Oh, and Fagin." Nancy added over her shoulder, "Bill said 'e might come 'round later on. 'Bout the next job."

"Yes, yes." Fagin grunted, rolling his eyes, but looking ever so slightly amused. "Off with you now, my dear, plenty left to do."

"She's great, isn't she?" Charlie had asked Kat, happily, as Kat watched Nancy leave, with a swish of her trademark red dress. A dreamy smile flitted across Kat's face.  
"Yeah, she is."

The next day, it was the same old routine. Kat herself secretly was a little bit excited that she had managed to fit in to this strange place long enough to fit into a 'routine'. The sun was shining brightly that day, its warm rays piercing through the random gaps that poked through the ceiling or walls of the hideout.

"You know, I swear the sausages keep gettin' smaller." Charlie mused at breakfast time, biting one to punctuate the statement.

"Charlie, you say that every mornin'." Kat reminded him sleepily, rubbing at her eyes as she swallowed the remainder of her bread.

"S'just cos you shove 'em all into your mouth without chewin' them anyway." Jamie added, elbowing Charlie, "You greedy brute."

"Oi!" Charlie complained as Jamie nicked a roast potato off his plate. Kat giggled.

"C'mon, you lot!" Dodger chided, prodding at Kat, who jumped. "It's time we were off!"

"What're you trying to be, an alarm?" grumbled Kat, standing up and stretching, a strip of sunlight falling across the table as Charlie also stood up. "Not like those pockets are goin' anywhere."

"Just come on!"

They all trooped outside, encouraged along by the usual morning-banter, courtesy of Fagin.

"Remember, full pockets boys!" he called, all too cheerful for somebody sending out a gang out children to go stealing. "Wallets full of cash!"

"He won't be so 'appy once Bill Sikes comes round." Dodger grumbled to Kat as they reached the bottom of the rickety steps. "I can promise you that."

"Oh, your promises don't mean much." Kat snorted, poking Dodger. "You said I'd get to like gin, you know, an' I still don't!"

"Well, you've gotten used to some things, eh?" grinned Dodger, cheekily. Kat slowed down slightly as Dodger went darting off through one of the narrow alleyways.

_Yes. I s'pose I 'ave gotten used to things, ain't I?_ Kat thought to herself, stopping and staring down the alleyway, not really seeing it at all,_ Nancy. Dodger. Fagin. It feels like I've known 'em forever, even though I barely know them at all. I didn't think I'd do as well as I 'ave, out here in London. How strange it is-_

"Kat! Come on!"  
Kat jumped, snapping out of her reverie. With a wide, genuine smile, she span on her heel and chased after Dodger, hair flowing out from under her cap, disappearing around the corner and out of sight.

_Into the darkness..._

_Into the light..._

_I will follow you._


	4. In which Kat acquires a rival

Hello readers! Sorry I'm a little late with my latest chapter, but at least it's longer then the last one. And thanks for your reviews!

Enjoy!

* * *

"Go on, then! What'cha got, Charlie?"

Charlie, Kat and Dodger, having made a successful trip into the market area, had decided to take their time going back to Fagin's. They were lying around, underneath the shade of a large blossom tree. Kat didn't know how Dodger knew about this little slice of woodland, but she decided she didn't care. She had abandoned her boots, instead poking at the rippling stream with her dirty toes, relishing the coolness of the water.

"Coupla' 'andkerchief's. A wallet." recited Charlie, emptying his goods onto the floor in a bundle. "'Ow about you two?"

"Pocket-watch. 'Alf a crown. Dunno what this is."

Kat held up a silvery-item in her hand. Some of the silver was worn off, and it was a bit scratched, but other then that, it looked sellable.

"Who 'ad it?" demanded Dodger, eyeing it, "Funny lookin' to me."

"Some old man." replied Kat. "I'll see if Fagin wants it."

"Good thinking." yawned Dodger, who had settled himself comfortably in one of the low-hanging branches of the tree.

Kat lay in the long grass that surrounded the trunk, the last remaining snowdrops from the last month drooping quietly in the spring sunshine. Charlie was sprawled in an undignified manner across the grass, eyelids occasionally flickering with the effort to stay open.

Dodger, as it was, was feeling rather pleased with himself. He had the vague suspicion that Kat and Charlie had already forgotten, but Bill Sikes had told Fagin he was coming around either tonight or the next. That likely meant that he wanted a kid to come with him. Dodger squirmed excitedly as he mused the possibilities.

"Dodge!"

"Eh? What?" Dodger said, snapped out of his daydream by Kat's voice.

"Charlie wants to know what you got!"

"Ah."

Dodger pulled out three handkerchiefs out of his pockets, a small silver box, which rattled when he shook it.

"Not bad." conceded Kat with a shrug, chewing on a piece of grass. She felt utterly at peace, and if it weren't for the amiable banter between herself, Dodger and Charlie, and the stream tickling her feet, she might very well have fallen asleep.

"Well, should we go, then?" yawned Charlie, as he too was slowly becoming infected by the pleasant, drowsy atmosphere. "I 'spect everyone else is nearly finished."

"I'll be back a little later." Kat reminded them, stretching as Dodger swung his legs over his perch. "Nance wanted t'see me, remember?"

"Good luck with that, then." chortled Dodger, startling Kat as he jumped from the tree, landing next to her with a thud. "Bet'cha she's got somethin' up her sleeves."

Charlie and Kat exchanged a glance as Dodger began to saunter away.

Kat smiled.

"Jealous."

* * *

After bidding goodbye to Dodger and Charlie, Kat had retrieved her boots from the gnarled roots of the tree, wincing slightly as the water still on her feet made an unpleasant squishing sensation, but she decided to ignore it, and eventually it was forgotten.

The Market was still busy, despite it being nearly late afternoon now. Kat yawned behind her hand, glancing about for Miss Nancy. Her red dress and strawberry-blonde hair would no doubt stand out against the plain background.

"Kat! Over 'ere!"

Smiling with relief, Kat turned to see Nancy standing by a grey cobble wall, like a flower that had unexplainably bloomed there. Kat suddenly noticed Bet, who was flirting with the man at the fruit stall nearby, and a sulky-looking girl standing next to Nancy.

"Kat, this is Ana."

Nancy gestured to the girl standing beside her. She was around the same height as Kat, and looked the same age. She regarded Kat coolly; even a little haughtily. Her eyes flicked from Kat's face, all the way down to her over-sized boots with something akin to disdain.

"Hullo." Kat said to her, in a sharp, clear voice with the merest flicker of a challenge, since it was clear this girl wasn't going to speak first.

"Hello." replied Ana, stiffly. They eyed each other for a moment, ignoring the idle banter occurring between Nancy and Bet a few feet away.

Ana was pretty, Kat noted sourly. Certainly in the conventional sense. She had thin blonde hair that floated clumsily down her back in uneven waves the wisps of it catching occasionally in the light. Her eyes were blue, and she had a slightly upturned snub nose that was lightly scattered with freckles. Like Kat, she was also thin and pale, but her cheeks had been pinched to pink, and stood out prominently against her skin and hair.

Scuffed-laced shoes were on her feet, and Ana wore a pale blue dress, so faded that it was really more of a blue-grey, with black lace around the hem and sleeves. Kat wondered if Nancy had bought it for her a long time ago, as it looked like it was a pretty dress once.

"So, you're the new girl, are you?"

Kat's gaze abruptly flicked back to Ana, having been brought back out of her daydream. Ana's voice had surprised her. For some reason, there was a distinct frostiness between the two of them that Kat herself didn't fully understand. But whatever it was, it prompted Kat to reply, somewhat defensively,

"Yeah, that's me."

Ana sniffed. Kat's eyes narrowed slightly.

"What kind of name is Kat, anyway?" Ana then demanded. And once again, Kat was struck by Ana's voice. Even though she obviously knew the area, her accent was odd, nowhere near as cockney as Nancy or the others. There was an odd intonation to her words, although Kat could tell she was trying to conceal it.

"Katarina." shrugged Kat, feeling a prickle of irritation. "After my grandmother. And you pronounce your name funny."

"It's short for Anastasia!" replied Ana, her cheeks colouring a slightly deeper shade of pink. Kat resisted the impulse to smile, whether out of spite or genuine amusement was anyone's guess.

"Girls!"

The two of them turned to see Nancy, who was smiling and holding onto her wicker basket. Her smile turned devious.

"Let's go shoppin'."

Anastasia turned to Kat, her mouth twisted into a smirk.

"Let's see if you're any good, hmm?"

Kat's own smile was steel.

"Let's."

* * *

It was a tired Kat that went ambling back to the Den, much later on. Her feet were aching, but she felt distinctly pleased with herself. While she hadn't retrieved much more then what she already had since she departed from Charlie and Dodger, but on the whole, she was happen to have some rare female companionship.

At least, if you ignored the fact she and Ana had kept up their subtle sniping all day, being careful to keep out of earshot of Nancy, but Kat wasn't convinced that Nancy had been completely ignorant. She knew that Bet had at least overheard Ana remarking that Kat dressed like a boy, and Kat retorting waspishly that Ana obviously had nothing better to comment on.

Sighing, Kat was glad to see the rickety old staircases, when a sudden obstacle blocked her path.

"Grrrr." growled the obstacle, in the form of an ugly white dog, covered in bristly white fur and plenty of scars. Kat recoiled slightly, startled. The dog didn't advance, or exactly retreat, but it glared at her and scraped its hind feet.

"Um...nice dog?" tried Kat, awkwardly.

The dog's ears pushed further back, and this time it did take a step forward, an unpleasant string of drool sliding off one of its canine teeth.

Kat frowned. She didn't like dogs, and she certainly didn't like this one. She vaguely remembered that you were supposed to...what was it? 'Assert your authority' with dogs, but she didn't like to get closer to it and its beartrap-like teeth without a weapon of her own.

Then, inspiration struck.

"Hey, easy." Kat said, ignoring the dog's low growls as she slowly reached into her pocket, pulling out a folded, cold pancake from her pocket. Instantly, the dog stopped growling.

"Good boy." Kat said, careful to keep her voice even as she very subtly inched closer. "Now, listen to Kat. You stop yer growlin', and lemme pass, and I'll give you this. Geddit?"

Kat wasn't sure the dog really understood what she was saying, but it got the gist all right. Kat inched closer, nearly at the steps now. The dog watched her warily, and Kat was seized with the funniest notion that the dog had on a monocle, because it had a ring of black around one eye. As she got to the steps, Kat calmly threw the pancake, and the dog practically dived on it, tearing at it with unrestrained hunger.

When Kat finally got inside, Dodger and Charlie greeted her almost at once.

"Hoy, Kat!" Charlie said, grinning from his resting position. Kat smiled thinly and clambered up to join him and Dodger.

"What'cha lookin' so peevish for?" Dodger asked, looking up as Kat sat down on a thin blanket with a small huff.

"I almost got _mauled_, that's what." grumbled Kat, pulling off her boots and dropping them both on the floor with two loud thuds. "And now Nancy's found me a 'female comp'an'yun."

"Mauled?" repeated Charlie, looking puzzled.

"Oh, you mean Bull's Eye." Dodger filled in, sounding amused. Kat blinked at him.

"Who's Bull's Eye when 'e's at 'ome?" grumbled Kat, picking at a stain on her trousers.

"Bill Sike's dog." explained the Artful, blissfully unaware of Kat stiffening abruptly as he said this. "He's 'ere to discuss wiv Fagin about 'is next job. I think 'e must want a kid."

"What for?" Kat asked, sharply.

"For the break in!" replied Dodger, exasperated. "Keep up, Kat! Are you SURE you didn't get mauled?"

"_Yes_." snapped Kat defensively, glaring at a stain on the floor. "And it's not the dog. It's that stupid girl that Nancy lumbered me with."

"Why, what's the problem?" Dodger asked her, almost absently, as he glanced at Fagin's "room", where he could vaguely hear the distinct but muffled voices of Fagin and Sikes.

"I don't like her." Kat answered Dodger bluntly, shoving some straw into a slightly bigger pile for her to lean against.

"Why?" Charlie asked, duly interested.

Kat hesitated, purely because she was trying to think of the most feasible reason for her dislike, and to come up with one that would have Charlie and Dodger hostile against her too.

"She's stuck-up." Kat summarised eventually.

"Well, if she is, Nancy'll sort 'er out." Charlie yawned again, and Dodger nudged at him impatiently with his elbow. Charlie nudged back, feebly. Kat rolled her eyes and stuck her head in a book, which she had pulled seemingly from nowhere.

Just then, the door banged open, and two figures came out. Kat sat very still, and the mindless chatter that was going on in the Den quietened considerably, as if somebody had just pressed on the volume control.

"If I'm not back 'ere." the first figure was saying, his voice rough and deep. "You come straight down the Cripples, understand?"

"Of course, Bill." Fagin assured, soothingly. "Everything will be taken care of."

Bill Sikes was just as tall as he was that night after Kat had first arrived. He was wearing a black hat; similar to Dodger's, only he didn't keep twitching his head habitually to keep it upright like the Artful did. Black stubble decorated his face, and his eyes were icy blue. Kat watched him give Fagin a somewhat sceptical look, to which Fagin merely grinned his oily grin, and Sikes grunted.

Bill Sikes grunted, and then abruptly pointed at Dodger.

"You." he grunted, and Dodger practically fell over in his haste to get up, "C'mon."

"Remember, Dodge." Fagin said to Dodger, as Sikes strode off toward the door, Dodger hot on his heels, "Lot's of cash!"

"I know it!" grumbled Dodger, unable to keep the grin off his face.

Kat frowned. She didn't want Dodger to go.

She stared plaintively at Fagin from her perch, but he remained irritatingly oblivious to her glaring, instead bidding Dodger and Bill Sikes a cheery farewell as Bill all but dragged a pleased-looking Dodger out of the hideout, the door banging shut behind them. There was a slightly tense pause following this, but soon the hideout broke out into its plaintive chatter once again.

"Oh, don't look like that, Kat." Charlie said to her, five minutes later, patting Kat on the knee after noticing that Kat had not taken her eyes off the door. "Dodge'll be fine. He's gone on a job with Bill Sikes before, y'know. He can get in an' out of the 'ouses, easy."

"S'not what I'm worried about." Kat replied, grimly. And then she promptly retreated into her 'den', without another word to anyone.


	5. In which Bill Sikes shows an interest

'Ello readers!

Whoops, its been a while since I updated this story, eh? This chapter is a little bit longer then usual, though, so I hope that it was worht your wait! A BIG thank you to everybody who's reviewed so far. (I'm so pleased you guys like Kat!) and the next chapter should hopefull come a little earlier then this one. (No promises, though.)

Enjoy!

* * *

Kat remained in a somewhat odd mood for the next couple of days, even after Dodger and Sikes return from their job. She didn't say much to Charlie or Fagin, but she questioned Dodger mercilessly about it.

"But what was it _like_?" she persisted, the night after Dodger returned, ignoring Charlie rolling his eyes to the ceiling. "Goin' out, I mean."

"Aww, Kat, it's not a big deal," whined Dodger, to which Kat responded by glaring at him. He sighed and reluctantly elaborated, "S'just a job, right? It's all about the way you carry it out, see?"

"So is it difficult, then?" Kat inquired, deciding that Dodger would be more willing to share if she flattered him a bit, and it worked. Kat had to fight back a smug smile as Dodger went into informative detail on the break-in, gradually becoming more animated as he showed off his (and Sike's) brilliance.

"An' then, I had to sorta shimmy out of this tiny window, so Sikes came 'round the door, an' then-"

"So does he do it a lot, then?" Kat interrupted, finally having enough of Dodger's self-proclaimed ingenuity.

"Who?" returned Dodger, somewhat confused, apparently so lost in his story he had forgotten the subject of the question.

"Bill Sikes," prompted Kat impatiently, resisting the urge to give Dodger a slight kick, "Get kids from Fagin's, I mean."

But Dodger shot Kat a slightly suspicious look, asking her in a somewhat lofty tone,

"Just why're you so curious, anyway?"

"M'not," replied Kat, evasively, but a cheeky grin had unfolded on Dodger's face that Kat knew would mean something very stupid would come out of his mouth,

"Yes you are! You're jealous 'cause I get to go on jobs, ain't'cha?"

"_No_, I'm not." snapped Kat, flushing slightly, "I just want to know what it was _like_, that's all! I ain't been 'ere for long still, have I?"

"Well, I suppose," Dodger said in a superior way, jerking his head forwards to stop his hat slipping into his eyes, "Dunno why you bother askin', though. It's not like a _girl_ will ever get picked or anything. 'Specially not one as daffy as you."

To which Kat let out a slight screech of indignation and pounced on Dodger, the latter falling back with a yelp, and any further talk of Bill Sikes and his break-ins was promptly forgotten about.

* * *

Despite Dodger's assertions, however, Kat would soon experience a nighttime jaunt for the first time a lot sooner then any of the trio could have anticipated. And it was Dodger who contributed to Kat unwittingly gaining the attention of Bill Sikes in the first place.

It happened when Kat was doing one of the things that almost everyone in Fagin's Den had grown used to her doing- climbing things.

Kat, as it turned out, had an inexplicable attraction to high places. She herself couldn't really explain why- she just seemed to like being high up. Maybe it was to do with the advantageous viewpoint being high up granted Kat, or maybe she enjoyed being one of the only ones in the Den who could reach them. Whatever the reason was, Kat simply couldn't resist climbing something.

Kat was perched on one of the sloping rooftops that surrounded the Den, balanced somewhat precariously on the slant of the roof. Fagin, who was more used to slinking around _under_ roofs then the idea of prowling around on top of one, inquired where Kat was, as it was almost dinner time and it was usually Kat who reminded Charlie to slow down when eating.

"She's on the roof," Dodger had shrugged, the idea of questioning Kat on why she had chosen just that minute to go clambering up the roof completely lost on him.

Fagin, possibly fearing Kat drawing attention to their location or some other paranoid reason, told Dodger to call her back down. At that precise moment, however, Sikes was slowly ascending the steps of the Den, having opted to come over to Fagin's to collect his cash from the night he and the Artful had gone on a job. He had just opened up the door when Dodger replied to Fagin's request.

And so, it was purely by the timing of Kat, Dodger and Sikes that the latter heard this tiny snippet of conversation:

"She'll be alright, Fagin." Dodger was assuring the apparently anxious Fagin, with the airy voice of somebody who has said the same thing several times before. "She'll come down when it gets dark."

"It _is_ dark." Fagin had replied tartly to Dodger, before realising that Bill Sikes had entered, quickly forgetting Kat's height fixation and hurrying over to deal with Sikes.

Sikes, however, watched while Fagin collected his money. He watched the distant figure of Kat, who had heard Dodger's instruction to come down and have supper.

Kat made her way down the roof, her body moving swiftly yet carefully to descend the slippery tiles. And what was interesting was, she seemed completely at ease despite her less-then-safe position. She moved along the rooftops with a practised ease, barely looking at the surface of the roof, instead moving easily from ledge to foothold as though she had grown up on that very roof.

When she reached the bottom and slipped through a windowless pane, Dodger crawled over.

"Come on, Kat!" he was saying, hopping down with a sort of graceless thud onto the floor, "There won't be any left, not at the rate Charlie's scoffin' 'em down."

"Yeah, yeah." replied Kat, dropping down off the rafter, a lot less clumsily then Dodger had, and scurried quickly over to the table.

And it was this short scene that Sikes witnessed that had given him the idea (or, given him the decision) to include Kat on his next outing.

* * *

_"What?!"_ Dodger had spluttered incredulously, although it was mainly ignored.

"Are you sure, Bill?" Fagin muttered out of the corner of his mouth, as Kat stood quite still, stunned. "She ain't been on a job before. Not a job like this."

"Yeah," replied Sikes, irritated at his decision being questioned, though in this case, he supposed it wasn't entirely unexpected, "I need a little 'un, an' one that can move quick."

"Why can't he pick me?" Dodger muttered, still spluttering with indignation, as though this was a reward Kat had somehow stolen from him, "You're new, whaddaya you know about goin' on jobs? I'm the one who goes on jobs!"

"She don't _want_ to!" Charlie reminded Dodger, who was wearing a more startled expression then Dodger, "It's Bill Sikes we're talkin' about, 'ere, you know."

Kat said nothing. She was staring at Fagin with a somewhat bemused and reproachful expression, hoping that he would intervene and persuade Sikes to choose someone else, but apparently, the decision had already been made.

"Well, if you're sure, Bill. You know what's best." Fagin was saying, not sounding nearly as resigned as Kat would have preferred, but she didn't dare object with Sikes standing right there. "Be careful, Bill. And Kat, remember, try and grab somethin' good!"

"C'mon." Sikes grunted at Kat, apparently choosing to interpret Fagin's warning as affirmation. "'urry up."

Kat jumped and quickly followed Sikes, glancing behind her with an accusatory expression at Fagin, who responded to it with an infuriatingly toothy grin. Kat's eyes swivelled to Dodger and Charlie. Charlie waved at her in an apologetic manner, but Dodger's expression remained somewhat sulky. It was the last thing Kat saw before the rickety old door shut firmly behind her. Once she and Bill Sikes silently descended the stairs, Bill turned to Kat and issued a warning, pitched in his menacing growl.

"When you're out with me, you keep yer mouth shut unless I speak to yer, understand?"

Kat nodded. Even if she had wanted to, at that moment, she couldn't speak. Her throat had gone very dry. She was frightened, but there was an undercurrent of excitement thrumming through her. Sikes grunted and headed off, and Kat nearly had to run just to keep up with him. Kat followed Sikes into the night; the only real sounds being her own footsteps and the oddly rhythmic sound of Bull's eye growling.

The black streets all looked the same to her, almost labyrinthine, and it was only because of Sikes that Kat had any sort of path to be following. She clung onto the childish belief that Sikes was an adult, and as such knew exactly where he was going. All she had to do was keep up.

Eventually, after what felt like hours, they finally reached their destination. They had trekked along the cobbled streets until reaching rather posh-looking houses, standing along a row of others bathed in silver lamplight.

Sikes abruptly stopped by an old-looking house, and Kat nearly walked into him, not expecting the sudden pause. She jumped back, but Sikes kept his dark eyes fixed on the high windows of the house, eyeing it with a strange sort of cold intensity, barely noticing Kat's jerky movement. There was no sign of life inside, although the gates were firmly locked.

"Right," muttered Sikes, almost under his breath. Abruptly, Sikes grabbed the front of Kat's jacket (who had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop herself yelping with surprise) and pulled her toward him. "Y'see that window, up there?"

Kat turned and look where Sikes was pointing. Along the brick wall that ran along the side of the large house, at the end of it there was a window. It was a small, somewhat grubby window, surrounded by a frame of overgrown ivy. Kat was amazed Sikes had been able to spot it in such a dim light and at this distance. Remembering her instructions not to speak, she instead nodded vigorously. Sikes glanced back at the window again, slowly turning his head, although he didn't relinquish his hold on Kat's jacket, apparently thinking hard on something.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked like a small knife. Kat couldn't take her eyes off it, but all Sikes did was jam it into the lock on the gate, twisting it with an expert flick of his wrist. The padlock promptly fell off and landed on the ground with a muffled 'thud'. Sikes pushed open the Kat and dragged Kat after him, eyes fixated on the window. When they reached it, Sikes lifted Kat off the floor, who made a sort of muffled gasp of surprised.

"You crawl through the window," Sikes told her in a low voice, indicating it with a jerk of his head, "And get the front door."

Giving Kat a slight shake, as though to punctuate the statement, Sikes then lifted his arms up, pushing Kat onto the high wall. Slightly panicked by this abrupt contact, Kat reached out and grabbed at the ivy surrounding the window, using it to pull herself up, out of reach. Sikes, once satisfied that Kat was stationed at the window, then slipped into the shadows, heading for the large front doors of the house. Swallowing (for her throat had gone very dry), Kat nervously began to pry at the latch on the window, which had been left slightly ajar. Her feet carefully positioned, she had to thump it with her elbow before it slowly swung open, and cautiously slipped inside.

Thanks to the soft glow of moonlight, Kat could dimly make out she was in some sort of pantry. The room reeked strongly of spices, jars lining the shelves along each side of the small room. Nervously, the brunette inched toward the door at the other end, dipping her head to avoid several cloves of garlic hanging from the ceiling.

She found the door and slowly rattled the handle, the door swinging silently open. Breathing a slight sigh of relief, Kat inched along the richly decorated entryway until she reached the doors. The owner of the house (whoever that was) had stupidly left the key in the lock. Snorting softly to herself at this display of ignorance, Kat jiggled the large silver key, hoping she had so far been quick enough. Luckily for her, the door unlocked quite easily, and Kat's hand gripped the handle and turned it, finding it was only slightly stiff.

The looming figure of Sikes slipped through the door as Kat opened it, and she jumped back at the sudden movement. Watching the staircase, Bill Sikes' hand reached out and grabbed Kat by the collar again, pulling her behind him. She tried not to move around too much as Sikes surveyed the area, the ticking of a clock somewhere being the loudest.

"Stay 'ere," Bill instructed Kat snappishly, "'ere" apparently referring to the space by the door. Without another word or backward glance, Sikes then promptly left, disappearing into the shadows of the house like a grubby phantom. Kat was alone.

Nervously, she fidgeted as she stood by the open door, shivering at the icy air that wafted through. She hoped that Sikes would not be long- as scared as Kat was of him, being alone in this dark house where she could get caught at any moment was much worse. Deciding to try and distract herself from the oppressing air of foreboding, Kat slowly approached a low wooden cabinet near the door. Her hand darting out, Kat promptly stuffed some of the smaller, expensive-looking items decorating the cabinet into her pocket.

Spotting some candles sitting in a candleholder, Kat decided to snatch those too, thinking Fagin's den could do with all the warmth it could get. The candleholder was much too big and heavy for Kat to carry, but she also helped herself to a particularly round orange sitting in a nearby fruitbowl, deciding it would make a fine snack for tomorrow.  
After somewhat laboriously placing all these items into her trouser and jacket pockets, Kat retreated to her spot by the door, feeling a little more relaxed now she had secured something to please Fagin with. And only a few moments after this, Sikes returned, concealing a large brown sack beneath his olive-coloured jacket.

Kat hurried over the threshold of the door as Sikes approached. She watched him as he closed it again, twisting the handle much harder then Kat had done, and a satisfying click resounded as the door was firmly closed (although unlocked.)

With no more then a slight nod from Sikes, the thieves set off again, vanishing into the night, and stolen goods and unlocked doors aside, it was almost as though they had never been there at all.

* * *

When the door of Fagin's den opened with a sort of high-pitched creak, the boys who were still awake quickly snapped their heads around to see Bill Sikes come striding into the room, a tired but relieved Kat dutifully following him. Bull's eye padded in slowly after them, walking his odd, waddling walk. He did not come far into the den, but instead sat near the door and began morosely licking himself.

"Ahh, Bill, another successful night?" Fagin had said, a somewhat leering grin on his face as he ambled toward them, eyes darting from Kat's tired face to Bill's surly one. Bill have him a slightly aggressive look, so Fagin diverted his attention elsewhere.

"Did you manage to nab anythin', Kat?" Fagin asked Kat, deciding not to beat around the bush, for he knew perfectly well why Bill Sikes had declared he would bring Kat straight back to the Den, and was keen to prolong his inevitable discussion of Bill's fee. With a wan look, Kat slowly dipped her hands into her various pockets, handing Fagin an ivory pen, an ivory-plated snuffbox, a small blue notepad and the candles. She neglected to mention the orange.

"That's all I managed," Kat said, stifling a yawn.

"Never mind, never mind," Fagin muttered, and it wasn't clear whether he was addressing Kat or himself, "Should still fetch somethin', alright..."

"Fagin, I'm waitin'." growled Bill, and the old man twitched slightly as he was brought sharply back to earth, "I said I'd deliv'r the goods, and now my pay is due."

"Yes, yes, Bill, of course." replied Fagin in a pacifying tone, for the last few words had a distinct tone of menace in them that Fagin knew Sikes was perfectly well willing to follow through on.

"Can I go to bed now, Fagin?" Kat asked, suddenly, raising her head up in Fagin's direction.

Although the question was posed innocently, Kat was glaring at Fagin in such a way that suggested he would be made to regret it if he said no. Hastily, Fagin slapped a jovial smile onto his face,

"Of course, of course, my dear!" he replied, and Kat generously dropped the intensity out of her glare, "It's late, you must be tired. Off you go, my girl."

Not waiting to see if Sikes objected to this or not, Kat hastily ducked her head again and hurried past Fagin, slipping behind a dusty curtain, getting out of sight and (hopefully) out of mind. However, she still waiting once she was safely behind the curtain to hear the snippet of conversation between Fagin and Sikes,

"Well, how was it, Bill?" she heard Fagin ask as the two headed toward Fagin's section of the room, and the mutterings of the boys started up again, "Any trouble?"

"Nah," replied Sikes, sounding very slightly less fractious then before, "Got in 'n out fine. Smooth job."

She heard no more, because a skinny arm suddenly tugged rather annoyingly on her sleeve.

"Kat! Kat!"

Kat crawled obligingly toward the direction of the voice, where Dodger and Charlie were lolling on Charlie's bed, both of them eyeing her like a pair of excited owls.

"'ow was it, eh?" Dodger demanded, and Kat was happy to see he was more excited then annoyed about Kat being picked to go gallivanting around on a job with his idol.

"Oh, you know," Shrugged Kat, unable to resist some slight teasing, "S'just a job, right? - Aaahh!"

Kat was punished for her mockery by being playfully shoved over by Dodger, and Charlie giving her a poke in the stomach. Fighting down a fit of giggles that rose up in her throat, Kat shoved Charlie off her and struggled into a sitting position, her limp hair now sporting a few piece of straw poking out of it.

"It was alright," admitted Kat with a little shrug, "I dunno if I'll go again."

"You must've done _something_ right," persisted Charlie with a slight yawn, for it was quite late now, "He didn't say nuffin' bad about it. That's gotta mean somethin'."

"Mmm," replied Kat noncommittally, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over her. "I s'pose."

"I would've gone down to the Three Cripples, too," mourned Dodger, flopping onto a pile of straw in a somewhat languid way, "Could've watched Nancy and the gals a bit while I was waitin'."

"In your dreams, Dodger," Kat snorted, her eyes feeling like they weighed three kilos each. Charlie was already snoring beside her, out like a light, "In your dreams."

* * *

Yes, distinct lackage of Nancy and the bratty Ana in this chapter, but they shall appear in the next one!

Until the mean time, however, review?


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